A Time Once Remembered
by Love From A Muggle
Summary: Life's funny about setting someone in your path. It's as if life knows you will need them in the future. True love stays with you till the end. A sequel to A Romance in Scarlet And Gold, and my 100th Harry Potter story.


Author's note: This was written to celebrate my 100th Harry Potter story.

It is also a sequel to "A Romance In Scarlet and Gold".

I know I promised a different title (Legacy of Love) but this new title fits better.

If you haven't read "A Romance in Scarlet and Gold" yet, don't worry. I didn't take that much from that story and put it in here.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Italics are flashbacks.

* * *

"Why are you doing this again?" His tired eyes stared at the young reporter sitting before him as he reached for a cup of water sitting on the table. She pursed her lips, sucked on her quill, and then smiled at him.

"Because, you're the famous Harry Potter. People want to know the truth about your life. If you want to do this some other time, we can. I understand it is the anniversary of your wife's death," Savannah replied. Savannah Longbottom, was the top reporter for the Daily Prophet and wanted to do Harry Potter's life story in the Daily Prophet.

He lowered his calloused hands from the table, took off his glasses and cleaned them with his shirt. He then put on his glasses which were now broken in the middle, and taped together with Spell-O-tape. He preferred it that way, for doing a simple spell reminded him of his lifelong friend, Hermione Granger.

"No, it's better to do it now, when the memory is fresh in my mind," Harry spoke softly. He had a small case of Alzheimer's and was afraid his memory would slip from him.

The blonde haired girl smiled as they adjusted their seats in the retirement home for Wizards and Witches.

"Where do you want to start?" Savannah asked politely as she got her Quick Quill to take notes.

"With Ginny," he said as he stared into the distance.

"She taught me how to live," he started out.

"You mean after the war?" Savannah questioned.

"Yes. Ginny had always been at the back of my mind since the first time I saw her. I met her when I was starting my first year at Hogwarts. Same time as I met her brother. I knew something was different about her. Life's funny about setting someone in your path. It's as if life knows you will need them in the future. It must have known that about Ginny. She came in and out of my life until I started dating her in my sixth year. We dated until about two months before Dumbledore was murdered, and then I did the hardest thing I ever had to do in my life." Harry picked up his glass of water and took a sip. He held it in his hands as best as he could. His hands were aging with time like he was. They ached more when he picked up small objects.

"You broke up with her?" Savannah questioned with her eyes wide.

"Yes. It's one of the things I regret and still regret to this day. Time apart from her killed me inside. No one knows this but when I had time to myself, I cried over not being with her. When I saw her and knew I couldn't go up and reunite our lips, I ached inside."

"We reunited after the war. As soon as I had a moment away from everyone, I ran. I ran until I found Ginny. She was with her parents on the Quidditch field. I took her away from her parents so we could talk quietly to ourselves. We sat and talked for a full day. No one interrupted us. We covered everything we wanted. And the whole time I was talking to her, I knew I wanted her to be mine forever. Ginny always said we were meant for each other. She said when she thought I had died, she went crazy inside." Harry carefully put the glass down on the table for his hands were tired of holding it. Savannah smiled at Harry as she listened. She shifted slightly in her chair and waited patiently for Harry to recollect his thoughts.

"We married in the year two-thousand."

"Why the long wait?" Savannah asked as she adjusted her posture by sitting up in her seat.

"Because, after her brother died, Ginny needed time with her family. We were still an item, but she needed to stay with her parents instead of moving out so quickly."

"Her brother died?" Savannah spoke.

"Yes. Fred Weasley, is a man who will never be forgotten. His legacy lives on in the Weasley Wizard Wheezes shop he made with his twin brother. Fred died in the war. Another regret. I had always thought it was my fault he died. My fault anyone died."

"Don't ever think it's your fault. My great grandfather Neville told me they fought to help fight for our freedom," Savannah said suddenly. Harry's emerald eyes looked from the floor to Savannah's dark brown eyes.

"Ginny said the same thing multiple times. When I'd wake up from nightmares, she'd comfort me by telling me what you just said."

"What about Hermione? What happened to her?" Savannah asked.

"How do you know about Hermione?" he questioned her.

"My great grandfather mentioned she died, but not how. It was too painful for him, I could tell by the tears in his eyes when her name was mentioned," Savannah spoke with honesty in her voice.

"Hermione died in a car accident in London. She was on the way home from visiting her parents and a drunk driver killed her instantly. Ron hasn't been the same ever since." Harry looked at a picture by his bed.

_Ron, Hermione and Harry stood in front of Hogwarts gates when it reopened after the war._ They were young in the picture, but seeing it tonight made Harry feel his true age, which was ninety-two.

_Hermione had long wavy hair, Ron's was getting past his ears, and Harry had managed to comb his hair before the picture was taken. It was autumn. A year after the war with the school opening everyone who fought and was going back to school had been invited to attend the Halloween feast. Hermione was going back to complete her seventh year, but Harry was joining Kingsley as an Auror. Ron, was going to help his brother George with his shop. It would be the last time the three of them would be together for a while. _

Harry blinked, bringing himself back from the memory. Savannah noticed the photograph he was staring at and questioned about it.

"What's so special about that picture?"

"It was autumn of the year two-thousand, Hermione was going back to complete her seventh year, Ron was going to help his brother George in the shop and I was doing my dream job of becoming an Auror. It was the last time the three of us would be together for a while. And it was also the grand reopening of Hogwarts. The three of us cut the red ribbon to mark the grand opening. After we cut it, Ron proposed to Hermione. They had two children years later, and Hermione died fifteen years after her children were born. That picture is the last picture I have of the three of us." Harry's tears glistened in his eyes as he looked away from the picture.

"It's standing still," Savannah said quietly.

"Yes. Hermione wanted to capture how we really were when she thought of us. She took it with a Muggle camera. Since we weren't inside Hogwarts gates, the camera worked."

"How far are the two deaths?" She did not look at him or the picture. Instead she focused her stare on the rain pelting on the window. It was mid-summer now, and summer storms were frequent these days. Harry preferred the rain.

"Hermione died before Ginny in the year twenty-twenty-three. Her children were seventeen and fifteen years old. Each in Hogwarts. Each loved their mother very much."

"And Ginny?"

No response was given. Ginny's death was still fresh in his mind. Twenty years after Hermione's death came the death of his beloved. She got sick one night, real sick. Before Harry could take her to St. Mungo's she had died in her sleep.

"We can continue some other time, I understand," Savannah said standing up. She held out her hand, expecting him to shake it.

"Do you know why I agreed to you doing the interview?" he asked.

"No?" she answered honestly.

"Because you write honest stories. I've seen reporters before you print lies. But you're not like them. You are your own person at the Daily Prophet. You write the truth."

"You mean you've been asked before?" She sat right back down in her chair. He chuckled.

"Several times, Miss Longbottom. Several times."

"And each time you've turned down every reporter?"

"Yes."

"But you said 'yes' to me?"

"That is correct." Harry picked up his cane, leaned on it, and stood up slightly. He then went to the window, watched lightning dance across the yard and spoke quietly again.

"Savannah, there is a lot about me no one knows except Ginny. But because you post the truth, I will tell you half of it."

"So you're doing this for your wife?" she said gathering her material.

"To remember her. To bring her memory fresh, as daisies growing in the spring, back to my mind." He turned around. His emerald eyes were heavy with heart ache.

"We can continue another time, ," Savannah said noticing how tired he was.

"Please, call me Harry."

She smiled at him as she left him standing by the window watching the angry storm. As she left, tears poured down his face. He cried for everyone he knew who had died. But most importantly he cried for Ginny. True love stays with you till the end. And Harry Potter could not wait till that day came. He would be reunited again with his beloved Ginny.

Savannah sat down as she prepared herself for another interview. She had her quill and parchment ready, this time eager to know more about his wife.

"Did you know Ginny didn't like chocolate?" Harry said suddenly still gazing into the distance.

"No, I don't know much about her."

"She always carried it around for people to eat it, but she never had any herself. She said it tasted bitter." He stopped talking momentarily, walked over to his dresser drawer and had a box in his hands.

It was as though his mind kept remembering things. He forgot about the chocolate conversation and remembered a gift he gave Ginny.

"What is that?" Savannah's brown eyes grew large as she stared at the black box.

"A gift I gave Ginny. She wore it every day of her life. I gave it to her during her seventh year. So others would know I was her boyfriend." Harry smiled as if his mind was taken back to that very day. He handed Savannah the black box.

Inside lay a sapphire lightening shaped charm on a delicate gold chain. Savannah gasped. She pointed to the picture behind Harry.

"Is that the necklace in the picture she's wearing?"

"Yes. My Ginny wore this on her wedding day as her something blue. I don't know why I thought of this just now, but I did. I had to show it to you. She wore it for fifty years before she died." Harry smiled as he watched Savannah touch the necklace. When she did, he remembered of another piece of jewelry Ginny treasured. He opened the drawer again and pulled out another box. Savannah laid the first on a table. She eyed the other box.

"What's this one?" She asked.

"Her engagement ring I got for her for Christmas her seventh year. We were serious by then. During the summer of her sixth year she stayed with me. It were as though we were already married. That Christmas, I got her an engagement ring."

Once again Savannah opened the box. Inside lay a gold ring, the ring had diamonds around an amethyst shaped like a heart. Inside the ring inscribed was, 'Always and Forever'. He watched Savannah read the words. As she did so, he remembered Ginny at that very moment.

_It was two days before Christmas a year after the war, and Ginny was at the Burrow. It was her seventh year, but she looked much older than seventeen. Ginny walked onto the fresh snow and stared at the beauty of Christmas snow. Harry came up behind her, wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled her neck, he then gave her a kiss. As she turned around, he got down on one knee, and pulled out a box. He knew exactly what he wanted, and knew he wanted her. All of her always and forever. She accepted, but wanted a long engagement._

"You really did love her didn't you?" Savannah said as she handed back the engagement ring, bringing Harry back from his memory.

"Yes. People know my name, but only Ginny spoke it as if it was meant for just her to say."

"You never said how she died. You said she got sick, but not with what," Savannah said abruptly.

"I don't know what it was. She just got really sick one Christmas, and didn't survive to see the new spring. No potion could fix it." Harry's heart sank when he thought of that fateful day his wife of fifty-five-years died.

"I'm so sorry." Savannah sat quietly for a while letting Harry recollect his thoughts. Harry sat back down in front of her and was lost in thought. His mind kept bouncing between memories of Ginny, as each one came and escaped, it was as though his mind were the Snitch and he was trying to catch it.

One memory in particular stood out.

_They were married for three years and Ginny had one request for him. Children. She wanted children and he didn't. Then one morning Ginny found out she was pregnant. She was terrified to tell Harry, because she didn't know what he would think of it. _

_She stood in the bathroom staring at the two pink lines on a pregnancy test Hermione had bought for her. It was then when Harry walked in and saw her. She was so shocked she dropped the pregnancy test in the trash. _

"_What was that?" he asked automatically knowing from what Ron had described to him. _

"_Harry, sit down." Harry leaned against the threshold of their bathroom instead of sitting down. _

"_I'm pregnant," Ginny stated._

_Silence crept in, but it was a good, comfortable silence. Harry breathed in and went to her. He embraced her in a hug, and kissed her hair. _

"_You're not mad?" Ginny stated._

"_Mad? Ginny, I'm just glad you're not dying," Harry said squeezing her tight._

"_Why would you think I was dying?" _

"_Because, you kept throwing up all the time, and I didn't know what was wrong, but didn't say anything either," Harry confessed._

"_You worry about me dying?" Ginny said pulling away from him and staring into his green eyes._

"_I thought I was the only one who worried about the other dying," Ginny confessed._

"_Ginny, if you were to die, my whole world would turn sour. I wouldn't be able to live without you. Ginny, you mean that much to me," Harry said honestly._

"_What would you want to do if I died? Would you want to bury me?" she asked._

"_Why are you talking about death? We should be celebrating the life in you." He rubbed her belly gently. _

"_Because Harry, we need to discuss death. We need to know what we're going to do if the other dies. I want to be buried at the Burrow. Where mum could come and visit if I were to beat her to the grave," Ginny said honestly. _

"_I don't like where this is going," Harry stated._

"_Neither do I, but I want to be prepared." _

"_Can't we talk about this another time? Let's talk about baby names. If it's a boy, I like James Sirius Potter, if it's a girl, I like Lily Luna Potter." _

"_Why those names?" Ginny forgot about talking about death and grinned. Harry's whole attitude about children had changed._

"_Because James Sirius for my father and godfather, and Lily Luna for my mother and for Luna Lovegood, she really turned out to be a true, loyal friend for a girl," Harry smiled._

"_What if we have another boy before the girl? I have one condition for a name." Ginny grinned._

"_What's that?" _

"_We name our second child, if he's a boy, Albus Severus, after two really wonderful Headmasters at Hogwarts. Admit it Harry, Severus Snape turned out to be good," Ginny said._

"Harry? How do you feel about Hermione's death?" Savannah's voice spoke bringing him back from memory as she was standing next to a picture of the three of them in front of Hogwarts.

"What do you mean how do I feel? She died in a car crash. Ron hasn't been the same ever since. He still talks to her as if she's still around. He wasn't as lucky as I was."

"I just meant in general. I'm sorry if the question disturbed you. But what do you mean lucky?"

"He didn't get to live with the love of her life forever past the fifty-year wedding anniversary mark."

Harry missed Hermione almost as much as he missed Ginny. He knew the pain Ron was going through, which is why he often talked to Harry late at night. Harry missed everything about Hermione.

"I can stop the interview." Savannah saw the pain in Harry's eyes as he thought of his best friend.

"I would very much appreciate that. I didn't realize how painful it would be for me." Harry stated as he sat down in his chair.

"I'll write up the story and the article will be mailed to you the same day it's printed. Expect it by Monday of next week." Savannah stood up. Harry stood back up with her and shook her hand.

"Thank you very much, Mr. Potter." Savannah smiled.

"Thank you, Miss Longbottom."

* * *

A week's time brought Savannah Longbottom back in her office. The paper was about to be released. She knew it would sell out newspapers everywhere. Harry Potter's white hair, green eyes stared back at her without an expression on his face.

"Savannah, uh, I have some bad news," Devin a younger reporter said standing in the threshold of Savannah's office.

"What is it?" she said as she placed the finished article onto her desk.

"Harry Potter died at the retirement home this morning. Grongier thought you should know before sending his life story to the papers today," Devin said. Grongier was their boss, and the head of the paper.

"Oh my goodness, I'll add that to the paper now," she said with out sympathy in her voice.

"That's all you think about isn't it? You never think about love or anything. Savannah, you're going to stay single for the rest of your life. That's why you never gave us a chance," Devon said angrily as he stormed out of the office.

Savannah sat down crying in front of her desk. Devon was right. All she cared about was getting the right story out at the right time. She didn't care about the people in the story, just as long as it was good.

She grabbed a piece of parchment and scribbled at the top of the parchment

"A Time Once Remembered- the true story of Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived: by Savannah Longbottom." The parchment laid neatly stacked on her desk to go out into the paper the next morning.

* * *

Author's note: Please review.


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